


Slow

by ecoman12



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: F/F, M/M, formatting might be a little screwy whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 03:32:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15572802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ecoman12/pseuds/ecoman12
Summary: Brooke and Chloe’s relationship has its ups and downs, but everything works out in the end.





	Slow

BROOKE LOHST entered her first day of freshman year on her phone, and she was determined to stay on it for the entirety of her high school education. It stayed glued to her hand the whole first day as she walked through the halls to her new classes. She had never really cared about reading or writing or math, so it wasn’t much of a change from her middle school experience. She didn’t speak to anyone, she kept her head down, and soon she would be out of this place and done with school altogether. Her plans were destined to be disrupted, as most are, but she did cruise through the first couple weeks of school smoothly. It was on the twenty sixth day that her sweet bliss of being ignored was spoiled. She was sitting in English class, on her phone, scrolling through twitter with a lethargic expression on her face. It was a boring, typical day, the teacher was late, as he always was, and people were chatting about things Brooke didn’t care about. All was well, until a sudden slam wrenched Brooke from her stupor and made her jump. Her chair’s legs screeched across the floor and her heart pounded for a moment. She looked up finally from her phone to see her perpetrator; a beaten up old geometry textbook. She followed an arm that was attached to the book, a shoulder, and finally a face. The face was adorned with a childish smirk and gleaming eyes that were definitely up to nothing good. When she spoke, her voice was commanding and arrogant, like a bloated politician who thought they knew everything there was to know. To add to that image, she sat on Brooke’s desk like it was her’s. “I’m Chloe Valentine,” she said, flipping her trendily coiffed brown hair and holding her hand out for a shake. The fancy name was like the cherry to top off a bitter sundae. Brooke decided to go the sarcastic route, since this girl was obviously trying to be impressive. 

She denied this bloated politician’s hand and instead said, “Would you get off my desk?” Chloe’s expression was cool and collected, which surprised Brooke. She was maybe not a bloated politician, but a politician nevertheless.

“I’ll cut to the chase then. After a few weeks of careful study here, it’s obvious that you and I are the two hottest girls at school.” Brooke gave her a look. “It’s true, look around!” Against her better judgment, Brooke did so, scanning over faces, greasy and silky hair, clear and pimply skin, straight and metal rimmed teeth. She looked back at Chloe, unimpressed.

“Why are you talking to me.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “See that guy?” She pointed to a guy near the back with long, girlish eyelashes and a smile like the sun, you couldn’t stare at his teeth directly or you would be blinded. “That’s Jake Dillinger, he’s basically my boyfriend. And that girl?” She jutted a thumb over her shoulder toward someone in the front, talking animatedly to a group of people. “Jenna Rolan, she’s not that hot but I let her in because she’s sad, and she told me Richard Goranski barfs up his lunch every day.” 

Brooke decided not to ask who that was, and why it was in anyway good that he threw up his lunch daily. Instead, she asked the most obvious question: “why should I care.”

“Because I’m letting you in, too,” Chloe replied. She dished out the words like they were some sort of medal of honor, gold and valuable. To Brooke, they were worth less than a rat’s ass.

“‘In’? In what? What are you talking about?”

Chloe looked like she was getting impatient. “The popular group, obviously! Me” --she placed a hand on her chest importantly-- “the hottest girl in school, Jake, highschool awesomeness personified, Jenna, the girl who knows everyone’s business, and you…” Chloe thought for a moment. “…the second hottest girl in school.”

“Gee, thanks.” 

“Hey, it’s only freshmen year, maybe you’ll climb the ranks. Are you ever going to tell me your name?”

Brooke took a small moment to calculate, and then, what the hell.

“Brooke Lohst.” She shook Chloe’s hand.

\--

IT WAS still freshman year when Brooke visited Chloe’s house for the first time. One might expect a fancy mansion, maybe with horses and one of those sets of parents that ignores and does paperwork for some big company all the time, never paying any attention to their one kid. This was not true for Chloe Valentine however, she lived in a rather small house and had four younger siblings, each more rowdy than the last. They screamed in unison from the living room when Chloe and Brooke walked in and came stampeding toward the new arrivals. “Shut up!” Chloe yelled over them, but they all disagreed and swamped around her like excited dogs. One of the smallest and probably the youngest of the kids was starting to get trampled, so Chloe picked him up and held him against her hip. “SHUT UP,” she roared, retrieving a small toy from the ground and giving it to the brother she was carrying. “I have a guest today, so you all better quiet down or I’ll make you sleep in the backyard.” Brooke had been standing awkwardly to the side the entire time, she waved small and the four siblings froze to stare at her. “That’s better,” Chloe said, setting her brother back down and swimming through the sea of wide eyes. She beckoned for Brooke to follow. They descended the stairs to a dark basement. It was stale and smelled like mildew, and there was a faint trace of Chloe that Brooke could sense as they walked closer to a door. The trace grew stronger, and just as Brooke was beginning to wonder if she was being dragged down here to her murdered, Chloe opened the door to what was most definitely her room. Inside, it was warm, despite the cold of the basement. A dozen posters were hung up, plastering the walls and ceiling with today's popular boy bands. There was other stuff too though, like a fist rising in a field of One Directions and Fall Out Boys with the words black lives matter. There was a picture of Michelle Obama and Malala pinned up next to a vintage 60s feminist poster. It was all very impressive to Brooke, who had parents like hawks and wouldn’t let her pin up a poster even if it had Donald Trump on it. Chloe plopped down on her bed (which was just a mattress without a frame) and patted a spot next to her for Brooke to join. Brooke did so, sinking into the mattress.

“So, your family seems nice,” Brooke began, watching Chloe’s busy fingers as they toyed with a makeup blender. 

Chloe snorted. “Yeah, okay. They’re a bunch of monsters is what they are.” 

There was love in her expression, despite the words she said. Brooke still felt a little out of place. She only had one sibling, an older brother she barely knew because he was off doing God knows what. Brooke remembered the things she had pinned on Chloe internally, fancy mansion, neglectful parents, and she realized she was describing her own life. Brooke didn’t have any horses, though. 

“I think you’re lucky.”

“Lucky? Hm…” Chloe didn’t question, which layered Brooke’s shoulders with relief, she didn't want to reveal her terrible home life.

“Can you tell me your siblings’ names?” Brooke asked, trying to change the subject and lift the veil of awkwardness. Brooke had started to feel more and more awkward around Chloe since their first meeting, and she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because they were alone, sitting on her bed.

“Sure, there’s Sarah, the one just below me, and Elise, and then Thomas and Rudy. Rudy is the youngest. Monsters, all of them.” Chloe had begun to wipe down Brooke’s face with some wipes. “What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

Looks like she would have to reveal some of her terrible home life after all. Luckily, she had to close her eyes against the wet towelette on her face, so she didn't have to look at Chloe. “Yeah, um, an older brother, his name’s Sam. He’s twenty so I don’t see him often.” 

“Oh, an older brother. Interesting.” Brooke wasn’t sure why Chloe found that interesting, but she didn’t argue, and soon, her face was nice and clean, and Chloe began to put on a layer of foundation. The two sat in a comfortable silence as the makeup was finished and touched up on. Once she was done, Chloe sat back and examined her work. “Not bad, to be honest, I think you look better more natural. Like it’s the weekend and you’re chilling on the beach, sun in your blonde hair, not a care in the world…” Chloe strung her fingers in the ends of Brooke’s curtain of hair, just for a moment, before she pulled away. “But that’s just what I think. You’re beautiful whichever way. Do you wanna make me up now?”

That was when it started. She could pinpoint it right to that moment. 

Brooke’s cheeks began to redden whenever she was around Chloe, like she was standing near an oven. If she got too close, her hand would burn and she would have to yank it away. Her heart thumped behind her ribs when Chloe was near, or whenever Brooke simply thought of her. It was like torture, red hot torture, and Brooke almost couldn’t stand it. 

SOPHOMORE YEAR brought with it more woes for Brooke Lohst. It seemed as though the more popularity she accumulated, the more self confidence she lost. Chloe was the exact opposite, she outshone Brooke in every way. She walked the halls of the school like a proud peacock, curly brunette hair pinned back strictly with a headband and a tacky Disney style jacket around her shoulders that she somehow pulled off. Brooke’s fashion style had changed as well. She started wearing oversized cardigans that constantly slipped from her shoulders. “It'll leave them wanting more,” Chloe commented. Brooke didn’t bother asking who ‘they’ were, she was too busy trying to calm the rapid fire heartbeat that was developing in her chest when she felt Chloe’s hands grazing the skin of her arms. Brooke didn’t mind the odd fashion, as long as Chloe approved of it. Throughout the school day, Brooke followed behind Chloe like a nervous duckling. Chloe was often on Jake’s arm, and the newly arisen Richard Goranski--whom everybody called Rich now--was laughing very loudly beside them at some joke Jake had told. Jenna Rolan babbled on and on about who was doing who while Brooke stared at Chloe and Jake’s hands, wondering why she cared so much, why looking at their fingers entwined made her want to cry. Rich would push some kid for no reason, it was often a sweaty guy in a striped shirt and his friend with the white headphones constantly dangling around his neck. This routine continued for the months of school. 

—

“Hey, Brooke, have you seen my phone?” The mall around them was busy and loud. Brooke liked the mall, and it was not necessarily for the shopping. It was a place where she could hide in plain sight, a place where not everyone knew her name, like they did at school. She could just be one of the crowd at the mall. The group was technically there one a “double date”, Jake with Chloe and Brooke with Rich, but Brooke was very much against the idea of going on a date with Rich. She wasn’t about to disagree with Chloe, though.

Brooke shook her head as an answer to Chloe’s question, not looking up from the fashion magazine she was reading. Chloe let out a frustrated groan. “Hey, babe.” She turned to Jake, who was jostling around with Rich. “Jake.” No answer. “Jake!”

Finally, he turned around. “God, what? Why’re you yelling?”

“Yeah,” Rich interjected, “are you on your period or something?” They both laughed like five year olds and punched each others’ shoulders. 

“I just lost my phone,” Chloe said over the giggling. She rolled her eyes, irritated. 

“What, you mean this one?” Rich pulled out an iPhone with a Minnie the Mouse case. It was definitely Chloe’s.

“Give it, Rich.” She leaned over to grab it, but Rich quickly handed it to Jake, who was taller and could hold the phone out of Chloe’s reach. He did so, grinning with his blinding smile. 

“Up, up, up, the cost for an iPhone is about…” He did some fake calculations in his head. “One kiss!” He went in for one, but Chloe managed to grab her phone out of his hand without having to pay for it. 

“No kiss, this isn’t a special occasion,” she scolded, putting her phone away in her jacket pocket. 

Jake pouted. “Are you sure I can only kiss you on special occasions?”

“We have sex, don’t we? We kiss a dozen times then.”

He leaned down in his chair. “That’s not the same.”

“You’re such a baby,” Chloe said, and she stood, beckoning Brooke to do the same. She did, trying not to think about how out of place the thought of Chloe and Jake having sex was to her. 

Jake, with newfound frustration, or maybe not so newfound, pulled Rich off to one of the stores. “Me and Rich are gonna go get some shit at Lids, you two have fun PMSing.” 

Chloe rolled her eyes again, a common activity of her’s, especially around Jake, and turned to Brooke, who was still reading the magazine. “Trouble in paradise, hm?” Brooke said, flipping a page in an attempt to distract herself from her wildly beating heart. 

“God, he can just be so annoying!” Chloe grabbed Brooke’s shoulders and sat her down again for an emergency therapy session. “You’re around him almost as much as I am, you know what I’m talking about!”

“Yeah, I hear you.” Brooke nodded, ignoring how cold she felt the moment Chloe’s hands left her shoulders. She put down the magazine and took a deep breath. “Y’know, maybe you should…” Brooke prepared herself. “Maybe you should break up with him.”

Chloe looked at Brooke like she had grown a second head. “Break up with him? Why would I do that? I mean, he can be immature, and sexist, and I don’t really like to spend time with him and I don’t think he likes to spend time with me, but that’s hardly grounds for a breakup.” Brooke looked at Chloe, unimpressed. “Listen, Brooke, you’ve never been in a relationship, I don’t think you’d know about what it’s like.”

Chloe didn’t usually show weakness, and when she did, it was not in a traditional way. She lashed out, and Brooke was used to it. Brooke messed with her magazine, folding dog-ear tags on the corners, as she thought of what to say. “It doesn’t take relationship experience to know that you and Jake aren’t happy together.” Chloe rubbed her temple and then did a very weird thing that Brooke could not have predicted her to do in a million years. She rested her head against Brooke’s shoulder. It may have seemed like a small gesture, but to Brooke, it was like everyone around them disappeared suddenly, and it was just her and Chloe, sitting alone. Brooke couldn’t help but smile, curling her fingers around the magazine. 

Then, the moment was over, and Chloe pulled away. “I’m gonna do it, I’m going to break up with him. Right now, or…once he and Rich get back from Lids.”

“Oh, well, maybe you should do it in private--”

“Hey, babe! Check out our hats!” Jake and Rich came swaggering back to them, both wearing brightly colored snapbacks. Rich with a blue one and the word “pussy” emblazoned in all capital yellow letters, and Jack with a yellow hat and the word “marijuana” in blue letters. They both looked very proud of themselves, with their arms slung over each other's shoulders and their smiles bright. 

“Don’t call me babe,” Chloe said, standing a pulling Brooke along with her. Brooke allowed her hand to be taken. “I’m breaking up with you. I left a lot of my pants at your house so I’m gonna need to pick those up.” Chloe dragged Brooke past a shutter shocked Jake and into the crowd, not even bothering to look back.

“Jesus Christ, Chloe, don’t you think that was a little harsh?” Brooke said once Chloe had released her and she could talk without so much hand pulling.

“He’ll be fine, don’t you go pulling out on me now.” Chloe looked very pleased with herself. “Hey, wanna go to Panda Express? It’s on me.”

Brooke tried not to look to eager when she nodded.

ALL THE shit hit the fan in junior year. Some nobody named Jeremy rose through the ranks and nearly sent them all spiraling into oblivion. At first, Brooke liked him, was even attracted to him. Though it was less him and more the fact that he might be a distraction from her ridiculous crush on Chloe. Turns out things just got worse, and Brooke would never have suspected that Chloe would impede on her small moment of happiness by trying to sleep with Jeremy. There were apologies, but one was fake and the other was robot-induced. A rift formed between them like a yawning canyon, cold and dark and windy. It hurt, sure, but it didn’t cripple Brooke. She was surprisingly happy, and learned to move on, especially with the new coalition that had formed between the popular kids and some others that she had originally thought as losers. Turns out that your status at school is not a very good judge of character. The end of junior year was good, if not a little awkward. Brooke passed Chloe everyday in the hallways, and they didn’t gossip, didn’t even look at each other. Brooke said, “Chloe,” in a very flat lined tone, and Chloe said, “Brooke,” the same way. Brooke didn’t really like it, but she wasn’t about to apologize for something she didn’t do. She wasn’t going to trail behind Chloe anymore like some frantic disciple, obeying her every whim. It was either Chloe apologize or they were never in good grounds again.

God, it was hard, though. 

Brooke still couldn’t help but stare at Chloe when she laughed. She had this way of smiling that was somehow equal parts intimidating and endearing. Her teeth were white, but not in the blinding, artificial way like Jake’s. It was comfortable on her face, right where it should be. She never smiled in the wrong way, and it made Brooke feel weird. She sat at the same table with the group, Jeremy, Michael, Rich, Jake, Jenna, and Christine. And Chloe. Brooke wasn’t sure how long she could last without talking to her. 

Chloe was finishing a joke at lunch, everyone leaning in to hear the punchline. “And then he told me, ‘no, it’s not my dog, it’s your mom’s.” They all burst out laughing, except for Brooke, who stuffed her sandwich in her mouth to distract herself. 

“Hey, Brooke, what’s the matter?” Rich lightly punched her shoulder. “You usually crack the fuck up at Chloe’s jokes.” 

Brooke scowled at him. “It wasn’t that funny.” Everyone fell into an awkward silence. 

Michael cleared his throat, elbowing Jeremy. “Hey, they’ve got brownies, you wanna go grab some?” 

“Oh, yeah, for sure, Rich?” Jeremy stood up conspicuously, and Rich followed him. 

“Yeah, okay. Jake, do you want a brownie?”

Jake was stirring his soup, innocently oblivious. “Yeah, sure, can you get me one?” Rich hit him harder than he meant to. He looked up, at first angry, then he looked around at everyone’s expectant face. He glanced at Chloe and Brooke and stood up quickly, smacking his bowl of soup and spilling it all over his pants. “Oh, God! I will have to get a napkin, maybe two. Oh, what a mess.” He enunciated every word like a robot. “But, I will not go without Jenna and Christine.” The two girls nodded quickly and stood. Everyone but Chloe and Brooke scuttled off, leaving them in an awkward, utensil clinking moment. Chloe looked over her shoulder to the lunch line, where the whole group was staring at them openly. They all spun around and started laughing too loudly. 

Chloe turned back toward the table, stared at it for a moment like it had all the answers, then she raised her head to look at Brooke. She smiled, it was subtle, Brooke very much liked it. “You wanna get out of here?” 

Yes, Brooke thought, but that’s not what she said. “Wuh--” She swallowed. “What-t?” 

“C’mon, you weirdo. It’s the last week of school, we can afford a couple skips.” Chloe held her hand out toward Brooke. Brooke looked down at the hand like it was the best present anyone could have ever given to her. She took it, and Chloe’s smile widened, making Brooke feel weird again. 

They walked off, through the halls, still holding hands. Brooke was analyzing the situation like it was a book she had to read for English class. Except she was highly interested in this particularly book. Chloe had a dark, beaded bracelet on, a pink one that said “boobs” in all caps, and a small woven one. It was blue and yellow, Brooke’s favorite colors, and she recognized it immediately. “Hey, Chloe?” 

Chloe looked back at her, smiling that smile. “Yeah?”

“Is that…is that the friendship bracelet I gave you in freshman year?” 

Chloe nodded, smiling…sheepishly? Brooke didn’t think she had ever seen that expression on Chloe’s face. 

They stopped outside the school. It was warm out, a clear day. Chloe let go of Brooke’s hand to fiddle with the bracelet. Brooke tried not to look disappointed.

“Listen,” Chloe began slowly, “I wanted to do something important with you, to say something important, and I’m not very good with words, but I figured I’d try, because you’re important to me.” 

Brooke fiddled with the end of her cardigan, having trouble figuring out how to use her mouth. All she could manage to say was, “okay.” 

“Cool. I watched a bunch of tacky romantic comedies before I thought about what to say to you so I know that sorry won’t take away what I did. Also, I know what this ‘Love, Actually’ that you’ve been ranting about ever since I met you is, and yes, I agree, it is a good movie.” Chloe was almost never nervous, but when she was, Brooke could always tell because she conspicuously folded her arms quite tightly. It was a strategy to distract from what she was saying with her boobs. It was degrading, but it worked. Brooke couldn’t help but laugh, feeling the nervousness melt away. Chloe looked at her, confused. “Uh, Brooke?”

“Sorry, sorry. You’re just--” She snorted, and Chloe blinked. “Sorry, sorry for interrupting, continue.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I, um, huh.” Words seemed to elude Chloe. “As I was saying, I’m sorry--you’re--it’s, um…” 

Brooke rescued her. “Listen, some of the things you did, they were pretty shitty, but I think I’m ready to forgive you, so we can put it behind us.” 

“Oh, um, alright.” Chloe moved to fold her arms again but stopped herself. “Listen, I had a whole speech planned out, so do you think I could just…?”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead.” 

“Cool. So, I want to make it up to you, and I thought long and hard.” She kept trying to fold her arms. “I want to take you to dinner, all expenses paid, then maybe we can go rollerskating or something afterward? I know you love that stuff. I figured we’d go next week when school is out.” 

“I do like roller skating.” Brooke didn’t stop herself from smiling wide. “I think that’ll be fun.”

“Fun?” Chloe faked offense, putting her hand on her chest. “It will not be fun, miss Brooke Lohst, it will be the single most amazing experience of your entire life.” 

Brooke laughed. “I don’t doubt it.” 

THE DINNER was not the most amazing experience of Brooke’s life, to be short and to the point. They didn’t even get to the rollerskating before it was cut off. The dinner itself was fine, the food also adequate. Chloe and Brooke had light and sparkling chatter over it, and Chloe thought it was now or never to spill her longest kept secret. She didn’t usually keep them, as she was a gossip extraordinaire and the secrets she told were stupid and sometimes obvious like “Madeline banged a new person” or “Michael Mell is gay”. This one, though, was important, and Chloe had the decency to keep it until the time was right. As promised, she paid for the meal, and both her and Brooke were on their way to the roller rink. It was starting to get dark, the sun just skimming the roofs of suburbia. Chloe couldn’t think of a better time to spill the beans, and the beans were burning hot, she could barely hold onto them any longer, especially with how beautiful Brooke looked. Her golden hair reflected the sunset and she shined in the evening light. Chloe cleared her throat. “Brooke, I was wondering if I could tell you something.”

“Sure, you can tell me anything.” Brooke turned to her and smiled.

Chloe took in a deep breath. “Do you want to be my…would you be cool with…being my girlfriend.” 

Brooke stopped smiling then. Chloe was very concerned about this, she reached out to touch Brooke’s arm, but it was pulled away. It took a moment for Brooke to speak, a moment as long as eternity. “Listen, Chloe, I’m gonna be honest with you. I spent the last two years pining after you, and recently, I figured that we weren’t gonna happen, and I accepted it, I finally did. Now… now you tell me you want to be my girlfriend.” Brooke couldn’t look up. “I can’t…I can’t risk it, I've spent too long hung up on you.” Chloe’s face was slack. She didn't know what to do with herself. The silence that ensued was as loud as a rainstorm. “Chloe, it’s not that I don't care about you--” 

It would be characteristic of Chloe to lash out, as was per usual when she felt weak, but she felt the opposite of herself. “No,” she said in a voice that was impossibly soft. “It's okay, you're right...I'm sorry.” She turned around and began the long trek home, leaving Brooke standing there.

RUDY WAS a little rat. Not only because he loved to go snooping into his siblings’ business to tell their mother all the bad things they did, but because he even sort of looked like one. He had big front teeth and a pointy nose. His eyes were beady and small and his hair was a washed out brown. Chloe loved him, of course, even though he was annoying, and she often defended him against the other siblings. It would sure be nice if he learned to mind his own beeswax though, Chloe thought when she saw him in the corner of her eye. She was sitting on her bed, stifling sobs, and there he was, peeking at her with those beady little eyes. “Hey!” she yelled at him through her tears.”Get over here, you brat!” He tried to scurry out the door, but she caught him by the collar of his shirt and yanked him back.   
Rudy’s watery eyes were comically wide with fear. He glanced down at her white-knuckled fist enclosed around his collar, then back up at her livid face, which was still wet with tears. “I-I-I was just wondering w-wh-wha-what was w-wr-wrong,” he blubbered. Chloe tightened her fist and brought him threateningly closer, but her hand suddenly loosened and she dropped him. 

She sighed “I'm sorry, squirt.” Chloe plopped back down on her bed and dragged her hands down her face. Rudy sat next to her. 

“Are you okay, sis?” he asked after a long silence. 

“You wouldn't understand, kid.”

“Is it about your girlfriend?” 

Chloe looked at him, frowning. “Girlfriend?” 

“That pretty girl you hang out with all the time. Isn't she your girlfriend?” 

Chloe laughed. “She's not my girlfriend.” 

“But you want her to be.”

“Aren't you in, like, third grade or something? Why do you care?” 

“When you don't get what you want, you get more pissy than usual,” Rudy explained.

Chloe scowled at him. “Don't fucking swear, Rudy.” 

“Piss is not a swear word!”

“It is to mom, if she hears you say it she'll kill you.” 

“Go get your girlfriend back, Chloe!” Rudy exclaimed loudly. “You won't be so pissy!”

Before Chloe could grab him, he ran out, scrambling on his hand and feet. She was alone again, sitting on her bed, milling over her thoughts. The rejection had happened in junior year, and since then through the beginning of senior year, it had been at the front of her mind. She was pretty sure by now that she liked Brooke, not just in a friend way but in a romantic way. When she had revealed that she had liked Chloe for that long, two years, it made Chloe feel sick with guilt. How could she not have know? She was determined to make this right, she was tired of not talking to her closest friend. She would be content with just friends, she just wanted Brooke back. Chloe stood up from her bed and shoved on a jacket. It was dark and cold outside, but she didn't notice as she stormed through the streets. The neighborhood slowly started getting nicer as she neared Brooke’s house. She stomped up the walkway and banged on the door like it had done her wrong. After a couple minutes of waiting, Barbara, the maid, answered, looking annoyed. 

“Ms. Valentine? It's 12:30 in the morning, what are you doing here.” 

“I want to talk to Brooke. It'll only take a bit, and I won't wake anyone up.” Barbara rolled her eyes, and surprisingly, stepped aside to let Chloe walk in. She did so, grinning in thanks and running up the grand staircase. She ignored the fancy decorations, the expensive looking furniture, she went straight to the door she knew was Brooke’s, trying not to make any of the floorboards creak. She knocked on the door quietly. 

“Come in?” said Brooke’s voice from inside, sounding puzzled. Chloe opened the door, and Brooke, in her fancy canopy bed, blinked. “Chloe? I thought you were my mom--what are you doing here?” 

BROOKE HONESTLY didn't think Chloe had the attention span to remember something beside her phone number for more than a week, so when she showed up at her bedroom door, panting and looking very nervous, one could understand Brooke’s confusion. 

“I--uh--came to apologize,” Chloe began, visibly sweating in the doorway, probably realizing how terrible an idea this was. “I'm sorry for ignoring you for so long and dropping a bomb on you with no thought for your feelings.” Brooke took a moment to think, pushing her covers off of her and standing from the bed.

“It's alright, Chloe, really, I just don't think I can be in a romantic relationship with you.” 

“That's not why I'm here. I just miss being your friend. I don't want to not talk to you anymore.” Chloe risked taking a step toward Brooke, her eyes pleading. “Would that be cool? Being friends again?” 

Brooke remembered the nights she had spent thinking about Chloe, and the nights she had spent crying over her, what she had done. But she also remembered the nights she had spent laughing with her over some stupid thing, the parties, the dancing. Brooke missed that. She looked at Chloe, then hesitantly, like she was uncovering a stinging cut to be covered with a bandaid, she nodded. Chloe grinned. “Really?” Brooke nodded again. “Oh, that's so great. I've never told you this Brooke, but I think you're really cool. Okay, I'll go now, see you tomorrow.” Brooke watched her walk out the door and close it, listened to her quiet footsteps fade away down the stairs. Brooke sat on her bed, her clock ticking in the silence. She felt her face grow hot and she could not keep an excited smile off her face.

LATE SENIOR year is probably not the best time to begin a relationship, but that didn't stop Chloe Valentine and Brooke Lohst. It started slow, they remained just friends for awhile, but it soon began to pick up as it became evident that their mutual feelings could be ignored no longer. They slowly started to hang out alone more often instead of with all their friends. They snuck kisses in between classes, held hands underneath the lunch table. Both were unsure of why they were being secretive, because they were pretty sure that everyone already knew. 

Almost every week, their group of friends would have a game night of sorts, and it was on this game night that Brooke and Chloe were officially outed as a couple. 

They sat on the carpet in Jeremy’s basement, playing some nerdy game that was actually surprisingly fun, even for the ones in the group not so well versed with nerdy things. “And, with that,” Rich began, picking up a card, “I get longest road, and I win. Boo-yah!” He high fived Jake and then kissed him for good measure, something the entire group was used to by then. 

“Oh, hey, speaking of kisses, when are you gonna tell us, pinkberry?” Jenna looked at Chloe and Brooke, who were already sitting very close. Chloe blushed and Brooke scowled at Jenna. 

“Aw, let them get around to it, they can tell us on their own time,” Michael said. 

“Hardly anything left to tell,” Jake muttered, and Christine shoved his shoulder. 

“Alright, you guys want it official? Take a picture, it'll last longer.” Brooke grabbed the collar of Chloe’s jacket and kissed her. Everyone cheered, and had to stop Jake and Rich from actually taking a picture.

“Alright, so what should we play next…” Jeremy’s voice was faint even after Chloe and Brooke had parted. They had to tear their eyes away from each other, but Chloe still took Brooke’s hand and Brooke still rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder. It was all very mushy, but they didn't care.


End file.
